Question

Which one of the following Mauryan rulers was Jaina?
A) Samprati
B) Dasharatha
C) Jalauk
D) Kunal

Answer 1

Hint: He was the son of King Ashoka's eldest son. He was the fifth Mauryan emperor and the cousin brother of his predecessor. He reigned from 224 BC to 215 BC. He was succeeded by the Mauryan ruler Shalishuka.

Complete answer:
The Maurya Dynasty was set up by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BC and ever since the Mauryan Empire had had a very vibrant religious belief. The rulers of this dynasty were Buddhists, Jains, and some even had Greek religious influences.

Let us analyze the given options:
Option A) Samprati – He is remembered as the only great Mauryan ruler who reigned after the Greatest Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. Samprati was also a renowned patron of Jainism. He is also credited for actively spreading Jainism to many parts of India. Thus, this option is correct.
Option B) Dasharatha – Dasharatha Maurya was the grandson of King Ashoka and he continued Ashoka’s religious and social policies. Therefore, just like Ashoka, Dasharatha was also a Buddhist ruler. Hence, this option is wrong.
Option C) Jalauk – Jalauk was a king of Kashmir who is believed to be a predecessor of another king of Kashmir, Ashoka of the Gonandiya Dynasty. He is often confused with Ashoka the Great of the Mauryan empire. Jalauk was not a Mauryan ruler, and hence this option is also wrong.
Option D) Kunal – Kunal was one of King Ashoka’s three sons. Ashoka also had two daughters Charumati and Sanghamitta. Though all of Ashoka’s children are believed to be followers of Buddhism, it is not very evident whether Kunal followed his father's religious paths or not. Hence, this option is also incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is Option (A) Samprati.

Note: Sources describe Samprati to have been a follower of Jainism since birth. Some sources even suggest that he was not a Jain by birth, but got converted at the hands of a Jain monk named, Suhastisuri (who was the eighth leaders of the congregation that was established by Lord Mahavira Swami.